Man held after girl, 11, reports being molested at Enumclaw library

A convicted child molester has been arrested following allegations he sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl at the public library in Enumclaw on Wednesday, according to the Enumclaw Police Department.

The girl had been at the library with her father around noon, when she decided to go out alone to their car in the parking lot for a snack. While she was in the car, Travis Martin Lear, 25, allegedly approached her and threatened to kill her if she didn’t go with him into the library bathroom.

Fearing for her life, the girl complied. Inside the bathroom, Lear locked the door, according to the police department’s statement of probable cause. He then allegedly touched her inappropriately and, according to the report, told her “he didn’t like what he was doing, but had urges.” He then allowed her to leave, the statement says.

Lear allegedly told the girl he’d kill her if she told anyone. But she immediately told her father what had happened and pointed Lear out to him, according to police. Lear at first denied the incident, police say, then he fled.

Police showed the father an image of Lear, and he confirmed it was the same man. Officers found Lear at his mother’s house and arrested him. He’s being held in King County Jail for investigation of first-degree child molestation and first-degree kidnapping.

Lear has has previously been convicted of third-degree rape of a child and third-degree attempted rape of a child.

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